Racial/ethnic disparities and teen fertility in Texas: A qualitative approach to examining the role of future orientation

Background: Between 1990 and 2006, the teen birth rate in Texas declined 43% among African Americans, 31% among Whites, but only 11% among Latinas. We hypothesize that future orientation toward education and employment may vary according to racial/ethnic group and thus may account for some of the differences in these recent trends. Methods: To address our hypothesis, we conducted focus group interviews (n=36) with young women (aged 15-21) and men (aged 18-24), stratified by race/ethnicity and parenthood status, for the Texas Teen Opportunity Project. Focus groups lasted 1.5-2 hours, including questions on future orientation toward education and employment, and were conducted in the Austin, Dallas, El Paso, and Houston areas. Results: Preliminary analyses examined the importance of completing high school. Six themes emerged: Completing high school (1) means better jobs and college preparation; (2) makes life easier; (3) builds self-esteem; (4) means knowledge, but is it not important for real life; (5) is important for family; and (6) defies stereotypes. Latinas who were not yet parents and White men who were parents identified pregnancy as a significant barrier to completing high school, while young Latina mothers identified pregnancy as a motivating factor to completing high school (to better their children's future and to avoid social stigma). Implications: These findings suggest that having children as teens can act as both a barrier and motivator to completing high school, especially among Latinas. Subsequent analyses will incorporate youth's future orientation toward college and employment.